Remember, Remember, Long After December…

Live at the BBC! MYSPACE.COM/TRIPLECROWNNO7

Iyannough. Downtown Hyannis, MA

Ty (Feeling Shy), Our Friend on the Mend

British Beer (and Cake) Company

Olde Green Shack Out Back

Wednesday Night Poker, Featuring Fondue and Diablo

Post-Blizzard Backyard Bliss

Gnomes for the Holidays at The Fairy Shop (Boston)

Newbury Street at Dusk

Dare I Say, My Favorite Display (Benetton)

Newbury Street (Boston)

Christmas Eve on The Bay

Milo Takes a Load Off

A Charlie Brown Christmas!

A Quiet Christmas

Ski Country Antiques Open House 2008

This is a new kind of holiday season for us, and not just because of the move.  A year ago, I was creating and selling  my natural bath and body products with fervor while Paul worked tirelessly behind the scenes.  

A year later (i.e. now),  Laurie has made and delivered the last of the wholesale orders to my Colorado shops for me (thank you Laurie).  The Mountain Girl Organics online shop is officially closed for the winter and I have just enough product left over to share with a few new neighbors and friends.  

Sitting here post-blizzard with the Greyhounds by the fire feels so comfy, wistfulness notwithstanding.  I’ve got a few things to figure out.  In the meantime, a quiet Christmas…

Since You Asked…

My New Haircut

 

Feels

Good!

On The Giving of Gifts (One Woman’s Wish-List)

Affordability

Can we, as individuals afford to give what has been deemed socially acceptable in our human circles?  Can we, as a global community, afford it?  If not, then let this be the year we begin (or continue) to change our habits for the better. 

Sustainability

Are our purchases improving societies and eco-systems or destroying them?  Let us all try to wrap our heads and hearts around this question and honor the answers this Holiday Season.

Brick and Mortar

Our Indie businesses need us now.  What may seemingly cost more up front can ultimately save our communities on a global scale.  Please let’s support our local shopkeepers and restauranteurs who in turn support our local artisans and producers and economy in general.     

Alternative Gifting

Giving does not need to involve the spending of money we cannot really afford to spend.  Writing a poem, singing a song, handmaking a card, baking a treat, infusing a bath oil, shovelling a driveway, teaching a skill, walking a dog, sharing a photo…the posibilities are endless.

Gratitude

A gift is a gift, be it humble or grand .  Let us give what we can to those we want to give to, and let us receive with gratitude in our hearts.   Happy Holidays, everyone!

And The Winner Is….

Valynne draws a name from the stocking, with a little help from her friends

With Paul as my witness…

Emily O! 

Emily’s name was drawn from a stocking full of twenty-four contenders.  Congratulations, Emily!  Your mystery MGO prize(s) will be shipped to your doorstep as soon as they are done curing.  That didn’t give it away, did it? 

Thank you everyone for playing!  I will have another contest for New Year’s Day.  Don’t you just love a New Year?  Speaking of – am I the only one that ponders resolutions anymore?  I will definitely blog on this; after Christmas : )

Keeping in Touch (Part II)

Got Thoughts?

Thanks to Keeping in Touch (Part I) I received several letters these past few weeks, each one deliciously written by hand.  Highlights include a card with teacups and coffee mugs on it’s cover, bought along with an assortment at an estate sale.  The letter inside was thick and juicy, it’s author having been a writer of newspaper articles at one time.  Then there was the sparkly fairy card with a photo and new (and exciting) business card enclosed – how fun is that?  Then, the card-as-art; sweet black and white satin-like dress flowing in the wind, handmade with such detail that everyone who saw it wanted to know if cardmaking was what the giver did for a living.  And the fuzzy fall flower card.  I even received a post-it note attached to a pair of dual purpose pink slippers (they polish the hardwood floors – I am not kidding).  I have not worn them, because they are considered my first Christmas present and are going under the Christmas tree…You are getting the idea, I am sure…each piece of mail gave me pause for thought and sentiment.  Delightful, really. 

This year, I am writing out Christmas cards.  In time for Christmas.  I did this religiously when I was younger.   The older generation still makes this a priority and I am determined to keep the tradition alive.  Are you writing out Christmas cards?  And yes, sending picture postcards of your kids totally counts in my book.  A picture; a thousand words.  I love pictures of other peoples kids!  Or their new home, or their animals.  LOVE THEM.  I save them and savour them years later. Let that be some consolation to those of you who I have let down over the years in the “keeping in touch” department. 

Thank you to everyone who has kept in touch by commenting on our blog.  Tomorrow is the last date to enter your comment(s) into our First Annual Christmastime Contest drawing.  I will announce the lucky winner before bedtime tomorrow night…

A Question, A Comment, A Prize. Oh, My!

Welcome to Caretaking Couple’s First Annual Christmastime Contest!

How it works:

1.  Read any of the posts on this blog that interest you and post a question or comment of your own.  You can do this by clicking on the comment link at the top of each post. 

2. For each comment that you make, your name will be placed in my Christmas stocking.  On December 7th, a name will be drawn from the stocking.

3.  We will announce the winner that evening.  The prize will be (you guessed it) a sampling of Mountain Girl Organics Products, shipped in time for Christmas!

* Contestant need not be present to win. HeeHee.